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Records for March 2

- John Allan Van Zee, 38, of Lake Lillian, pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge of fifth-degree drug possession, an amended charge of domestic assault and a misdemeanor charge of violating a no-contact order.

As part of a plea agreement, the domestic assault charge was reduced from a felony. He will be sentenced March 30.

The drug and domestic charges were filed after a Kandiyohi County sheriff's deputy was called around 7 p.m. Dec. 13 to a rural Lake Lillian home. A woman there said she had slapped a child's hand as discipline for squabbling with another child. She said that Van Zee woke up, yelled and screamed at her and then grabbed her by the hair and took her to the ground. Van Zee claimed he was sleeping during the incident. Another man said he witnessed the couple arguing and that Van Zee had grabbed the woman by the hair. Van Zee was arrested and taken to jail. A search of his clothing revealed four plastic bags containing a white, powdery substance that tested positive as methamphetamine.

The no-contact order violation charge was filed after a Kandiyohi County sheriff's deputy was called around 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 to a rural Lake Lillian home on a report that Van Zee was at the residence. He was on conditional release on the other case, which prohibits his contact with a woman living at the home. The woman said he was at the home earlier and that another woman had likely called law enforcement and reported his presence there.

- Michael James Nelson, 55, currently in the Minnesota Correction Facility at Faribault, pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge of receiving stolen property for possessing a stolen pickup.

As part of a plea agreement, a misdemeanor charge of tampering with a motor vehicle will be dismissed. He will be sentenced on April 8.

The charges were filed after Willmar police were called Sept. 11 to investigate a suspicious abandoned pickup along Fourth Street Southwest in downtown Willmar. The 1978 Chevy had been reported stolen from Ortonville. Several citizens gave the description of the man they saw drive the vehicle.

On Oct. 26, a local clergyman was interviewed by the officer. He said he met Nelson at a coffee shop the day before the pickup was found and gave him money for a place to stay. He said Nelson said he bought the pickup in South Dakota. The vehicle wouldn't start for Nelson, and the pastor had helped him get a container of gas for it.

Man is airlifted after being thrown from snowmobile

EDEN VALLEY -- An Eden Valley man was airlifted Saturday to St. Cloud Hospital after suffering injuries in a snowmobile accident.

Troy David Thielen was airlifted by Life Link Helicopter around 3 p.m. He was driving his 2008 Arctic Cat snowmobile northeast on Vails Lake in Eden Lake Township when it hit an ice ridge, causing the snowmobile to go airborne. Thielen was thrown from the vehicle.

According to a Stearns County Sheriff's Department news release, excessive speed was a contributing factor in the accident.

WILLMAR -- Fraud was reported around 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Kandiyohi County Law Enforcement Center, 2201 23rd St. N.E. The informant wanted to show a sheriff's deputy a scam letter received in the mail.

WILLMAR -- A burglary in progress was reported around 2:15 a.m. Sunday from the 1300 block of 11th Street Southwest. The caller indicated someone tried to break into her home. She said her husband then pursued the suspects in his vehicle.

Assault

WILLMAR -- An assault was reported around 11 p.m. Friday at the Holiday Station, 817, Litchfield Ave. S.W. According to the incident report, a 38-year-old Willmar man was reportedly assaulted by two men near the gas pumps. The men fled the scene.

Property damage

WILLMAR -- Criminal damage to property was reported around 8:15 a.m. Saturday from the intersection of Fifth Street Southwest and Trott Avenue. The caller indicated they noticed a vehicle they parked next to had been broken into. A CD player was reportedly stolen.

WILLMAR -- An attempted break-in was reported around 8:30 a.m. Saturday from an apartment complex on the 1500 block of Seventh Street Southwest. According to the incident report, someone attempted to pry open a residence's window, breaking the screen in the process.

Fire call

WILLMAR -- A vehicle fire was reported around 9 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of North Business Highway 71 and 10th Street. A Raymond woman driving the vehicle indicated her purse and its contents were lost in the fire. No injuries were reported.